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2 Liberian ArcelorMittal staff returns from Kenya

Two ArcelorMittal Liberia sponsored students have completed requirements for earning Masters of Science degrees (M.Sc). The two, Maurice Davis and Samuel Nyema, returned to Liberia last week after two years in Kenya.

According to a press release, Davis and Nyema are 2012 recipients of Arcelor Mittal Liberia’s Advanced Academic Studies Scholarship Program (AASSP) who were sent to the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) in Kenya to obtain M.Sc in Procurement and Logistics.

Speaking in an interview, they said though the coursework was challenging, they were both motivated by the level of confidence that both ArcelorMittal Liberia and the Government of Liberia reposed in them to do their best.

“The coursework was very challenging. We got in the middle of the program, joining a group that had gone one semester ahead of us due to delays in our departure; meaning, we did not get the basics, especially so when we had to carry six units or 18 credits per semester, which required a lot of reading,” said Davis.

Therefore, the two men said that they came to the realization, after extensive research into the field of study, that service delivery in both the public and private sectors was a function of the lack of trained professionals in the procurement and logistics sector in Liberia.

Nyema added that the procurement and logistics sectors in Liberia need to be streamlined and synchronized in a way to get the nation on par with other developing and developed countries.

This can be done if the government and private sector join forces in building the capacity of Liberians in this area, adding, “We need to benchmark those countries, for instance, like Kenya that has best practices in their procurement and logistics sectors.”

“The divergence comes from the number of trained personnel in the public and private sectors, suppliers being many in Kenya, but few in Liberia, a lot of industries in Kenya and better infrastructure that facilitate effective movement of goods and services. So getting value for money in Kenya is far easier than in Liberia because competition brings better service, and on time,” said Davis. Press Statement